Ikawhenua: Chapter One

The Ikawhenua range sits between the Rangitaiki and Whakatāne rivers, a piece of land some 20km wide but at least 100km long. During the covid lockdown my mind had insistently played a simple dream of fly camping. Aotearoa emerged into alert level two and I decided the Ikawhenua was the place to be. Given I have something of a predilection for over-training it seemed prudent to cut myself off at the pass and pick what appeared to be the easiest hut to get to. Ergo, I selected Mangamako Hut, situated above the stream of the same name and accessed through forestry near Kopuriki.

The kayak guidebook warns of the Aniwhenua take-out that "the area is notorious for car theft". This caused me some pause for thought but I eventually decided (hoped) that the car would be safe enough at the Lake Aniwhenua campground, parked conspicuously in front of some nearby houses. Transport situation relatively assured, I pointed the mighty cadex in the direction of lookout road. Ten hair raising minutes later the bicycle was stored surreptitiously in the pines and the tramping phase began.

Forestry roads and topo50 maps are often a recipe for absorbing navigation and this journey was no less. Simple decision-making to the eponymous lookout and thereafter momentary confusion with a marked road nonexistent while an extant road remains unmarked. Following the pine needles raked up by some recent horses proved successful. Go figure. The pines abruptly ended and the track dropped quickly down through podocarp to Mangamako Stream. Being used to stream travel in the Tararua I prepared myself for a tricky scramble involving gorges, sidling on 'faint' animal trails and general rugged going. But this is Te Urewera. Not only does the stream have a gravel bed and no gorges to speak of, there is a marked track. Orange triangles led me upstream, helpfully signalling quick going on terraces and making life simple. For variety, I almost walked into an eel. The eel was notably more nonchalant about the encounter than I was, which I leave to interpretation.

I doglegged up the surprisingly steep track to Mangamako Hut which looked inviting and sported views down the rainforest valley. However, pandemic inspired dreams of idyllic campsites are not to be trifled with and upstream I went. I reached the track to Casino, decided that was far enough and retreated some 700m to a nice little Mānuka terrace on the true left. I set up camp, lit a fire beside the creek and generally did my best to live up to my own expectations. Copious stars filled the sky.

I woke in the wee hours and with some immediacy realised I was cold but had already taken the liberty of putting on every piece of clothing I had brought. Foolishness. I cinched the hood of my sleeping bag down as tight as possible and thought warm thoughts. It wasn't so bad in the end and I was able to doze through to about 7am.

Day two began with oats in bed followed by a spot of fireplace dismantling. I cruised back down the valley following the footprints of yesterday. Nothing dramatic happened and it was one of those days where it is simply a pleasure to be in the hills. If I'm honest I can't recall much. At some point in the early afternoon I arrived back at the cadex and freewheeled down to an intact car (joys!). Three cheers to the Ikawhenua.